Greece’s School Community Against Student Profiling

The Greek education community is strongly reacting to a recent phenomena of police “interference” in schools. Jointly the Secondary School Teacher Union of Piraeus along with the Parent Association of Keratsini are going to demonstrate outside the offices of Piraeus’ Public Prosecutor. They will protest against the persecution of the High School students of Keratsini. In addition, the local union also announced a two-hour walkout in order for the teachers to attend the demonstration and show their intolerance to police practices.

Last week, the police, after an order from Piraeus’ Public Prosecutor, invited some students from Keratsini to give explanations regarding a number of crimes, such as damaging property, disrupting public peace during last October’s school occupation.

Greece’s police explained in their official announcement that they were obligated to conduct the investigation and therefore interrogate the underage students.

Lucas Tzanis, the Mayor of Keratsini and Drapetsona condemned the occupation of the school and stated that he supports the protests of the school community.

The matter was also mentioned in the Greek Parliament. In particular, SYRIZA’s MPs, Panagiotis Lafazanis, Theodoros Dritsas, Tasos Kourakis and Tzeni Vamvaka, demanded that the Minister of Education, Minister of Public order and Minister of Justice “stop the persecution and harassment by the police, practices that have no place in a democratic society.”